Saga Olafs Konungs Tryggvasunar - Primary Source Edition

Islandica #52

by Oddr Snorrason

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Genres: History, Medieval

146 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1180

Reviews

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theodore M. Andersson seems to have set himself the task to translate texts that are often deemed to be source material to important medieval works that include the Nibelungenlied and Snorri's Heimskringla.

Oddr Snorrason's Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar is a Latin history of the 10th-century Norwegian king Óláfr Tryggvason that Snorri Sturluson is thought to have had at hand and to have used whilst composing the Heimskringla. Unfortunately the Latin version of the saga is lost but a Norse translation was made that still exists in two fragmentary manuscripts.

Andersson does an excellent job at arranging and translating the fragments into English and gives an excellent introduction to the saga. By reading this work alongside Andersson's Morkiskinna translation and his study of the genres development in The Growth of the Medieval Icelandic Saga, you can gather an insight into Snorri's working methods and how these historical works may have evolved into the Family Saga phenomenon.

[Øystein Brekke · Rating 3 out of 5]

For ein lesar som er kjent med Snorre, blir Odd munk si soge om Olav Tryggvason ein overgang. Her finn du ikkje Snorre si nøkterne kronologiske framstilling. Odd munk si soge er ei ganske laust samansett rekkje av enkelthendingar, som slett ikkje alltid passar så godt inn med kvarandre. Her er òg det overnaturlege viktig - både Guds under som Olav Tryggvason klarer å påkalla, og trolldomsevner som fleire av dei heidne personane rår over. Det verkar for meg som forteljinga ligg nærare opp til stilen i europeiske krøniker og helgenbiografiar frå tida, enn til den norrøne sagastilen. Soga vart då òg skriven på latin først, før ho vart omsett til norrønt.
Til tider kjentest det, sjølv for ein mellomalderentusiast, som om eg sleit meg gjennom ei nokså rotete og uinteressant forteljing. Men dei rare, overnaturlege episodane har òg sin sjarm. Og på slutten får ein lønn frå strevet med ei lang, detaljerte slagscene, i beste Hollywood-stil, når Olav møter fiendane sine i slaget ved Svolder.
Ikkje les denne som din første saga. Men for entusiastar er det eit artig bekjentskap.

[Stig Doggerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niełatwe, ale ma bardzo interesujące momenty

[mwr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty happy with the scholarly apparatus here. What's interesting is that this is somewhat of a hagiography, but it makes Olaf look like a huge jerk in a bunch of ways. But, even jerks are chosen to do His work sometimes.

[Lulu]

late 12th. Kings saga, first full length saga